British Cycling Squad for Wollongong, Australia
British Cycling can today announce the 26 riders who will represent the Great Britain Cycling Team at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, Australia from 18-25 September.
Ethan Hayter, Pfeiffer Georgi, Fred Wright and Anna Shackley are among those selected in a high-calibre field, while reigning world champion Zoe Bäckstedt and 2021 silver medallist Josh Tarling will each have their eyes on the top step of the podium in the junior ranks.
Elite Men
Current world omnium champion Ethan Hayter will look to add another rainbow jersey to his collection in Australia, contesting both the road race and time-trial. Hayter won the Tour of Poland last month before making his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España, where he was forced to leave the race early due to Covid-19. He will be joined by INEOS Grenadiers teammates Ben Turner, Ben Swift, Ben Tulett and Luke Rowe.
Fred Wright also enters the event in fine form, after three Grand Tour stage podium finishes so far this year, while Jake Stewart and Connor Swift – who are both currently competing for the Great Britain Cycling Team at the Tour of Britain – complete the line-up.
Elite and Under-23 Women
Having enjoyed a recent foray on the track at the European Championships, Pfeiffer Georgi will be joined in the women’s squad by Commonwealth Games time-trial silver medallist Anna Henderson, as well as Anna Shackley and Lizzie Holden.
Completing the line up will be Elynor Bäckstedt, who won consecutive time-trial bronze medals in this event in 2018 and 2019 as a junior, and Alice Towers, who makes her debut for the Great Britain Cycling Team after winning the road race in this year’s British National Road Championships in Castle Douglas.
Under-23 Men
After riding in this year’s Tour de l’Avenir, Sam Watson, Bob Donaldson and Leo Hayter have been selected for the under-23 men’s squad, with Hayter joining his brother in doubling up for the road race and time-trial.
Also in the squad are Sean Flynn, who finished 10th in the Commonwealth Games road race, and Oliver Stockwell.
Junior Men
Last year’s time-trial silver medallist Josh Tarling will hope to go one step better this time around, and the new INEOS Grenadiers signing will ride in both the road race and time-trial.
He’ll be joined by fellow Great Britain Cycling Team junior academy rider Jed Smithson, and Zachary Walker.
Junior Women
Zoe Bäckstedt will attempt to defend her junior road race title, having recently claimed another rainbow jersey by winning the junior Madison world title on the track in Tel-Aviv, alongside Grace Lister, who has also been selected.
Izzy Sharp also makes the squad after winning elimination race bronze and individual pursuit silver in Tel-Aviv, while Awen Roberts completes the line up, after finishing second to Bäckstedt in this year’s junior national road race.
Bäckstedt and Sharp will also contest the time-trial – an event in which the former won silver last year in Flanders.
Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Director, Stephen Park CBE, said:
“Competition for places in our road teams gets fiercer every year, and every single rider selected for the squad should feel incredibly proud to be pulling on the jersey as we go in search of rainbow jerseys down under.
“The UCI Road World Championships, and the chance to wear the rainbow jersey, continues to be incredibly special for our riders, and we have some incredibly strong contenders across the events. I’m sure that our fans back at home will be setting their alarm clocks early and cheering them on through the night.”
Great Britain Cycling Team for the UCI Road World Championships:
Elite Men
Ethan Hayter (Road race and time-trial)
Luke Rowe
Jake Stewart
Ben Swift
Connor Swift
Ben Tulett
Ben Turner
Fred Wright
Elite and Under-23 Women
Elynor Backstedt (U23)
Pfeiffer Georgi (U23)
Anna Henderson
Elizabeth Holden
Anna Shackley (U23)
Alice Towers (U23)
Under-23 Men
Bob Donaldson
Sean Flynn
Leo Hayter (Road race and time-trial)
Oliver Stockwell
Sam Watson
Junior Men
Jed Smithson
Josh Tarling (Road race and time-trial)
Zachary Walker
Junior Women
Zoe Backstedt (Road race and time-trial)
Grace Lister
Awen Roberts
Izzy Sharp (Road race and time-trial)